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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ several centuries after it had last ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ belonged to us, we went on an outing to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the glass factory that bore our family ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ name. it had changed owners many times ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ since our ancestors death, and then ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ stood abandoned for a long while. ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- finally, the natural end station for -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† the buildings that survive: a museum, †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* and a gift shop. *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# there's a long time since my family #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## made anything. by many, we would be ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### considered poor. ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### there are two main factory buildings, ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## domed things of several floors, made in ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# yellow brick. large but narrow windows, #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ reminescent of some cathedral. §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* custom-made glass, of course, large and *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† leaded, and ashen. a bit too dark to be †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- practical. on the eastern building, -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ some are shattered. ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the other one is publicly open. there's ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a museum, with wax figures of my great ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ great great grandfather, or something. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ various tools (or replicas) laid out on ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ tables, with explaining texts. a lot of ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- glass of varying thickness. -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* ** *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ ** ** §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# ------- * * ------- #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## ** ** ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### ** ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### i quickly sneak out, and climb into the ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## other building. the contrast is ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# overwhelming. it must have stood #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ derelict for a long time, windows §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* broken, metallic trash and pools of *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† dark glass all over the floor. no †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- electric lights, but i can see by the -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ light that shines in wherever the dark ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ windows are missing a pane. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ however, the greatest difference is the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ higher floors: this building has none. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ it is one massive hall, stretching away ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ infinitely above me. somewhere up there ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- is some great iron latticework, from -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† where chains are suspended, and parts †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* of machinery has been falling down. *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# there is, in the middle of the great #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## hall, a thin spiral staircase that ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### leads up there. i sneak over there, and ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### take a few reluctant steps. after just ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### a revolution, i notice that for each ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## step the building starts to glow, the ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# bricks turning a dark red, and then #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ orange, all the piled up debree being §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* lit from behind. *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- i stop ready to run down and out, but -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ there's someone else on the staircase ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ with me now, pressed close. he's ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ looking like me, short hair and thin ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ arms, but with ears from some animal, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and more disturbingly, completely made ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ of dark liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- ** -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† ** ** †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* ------- * * ------- *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ ** ** §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# ** #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### my fear holds me in place while he ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### starts operating levers and dials set ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### in the center of the staircase. slowly, ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## it starts spinning, circling upwards. ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# it's an elevator! i start to run #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ downwards, but now the liquid boy §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* creature grabs hold of me. i try to *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† shake him off, but he's too strong, and †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- pulls me back up beside him. -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ this time, i turn angry instead. what ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ the hell? who is this guy, acting like ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ this? i reach out my free arm and slam ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a random lever. some metal bar is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ suddenly released between us, hitting ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ him on the arm, forcing my release. i ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- shove him off of me, and he falls into -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† the levers, messing them up. †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* immediately, a thin rusty chainmail *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ curtain is dropped around me. but the §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# elevator also speeds up significantly. #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### the walls are flaring now, yellow, ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### white, almost blue. i close my eyes and ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### curl into a ball. but then, the glass ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## boy screams, a piercing sound that ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# forces my eyes back open. i watch as he #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ becomes too liquid, his body pooling §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* down in his now massive tail, and the *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† tip of it suddenly breaks of in a glass †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- drop that falls toward the factory -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ floor. ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ he's crawling on the stairs, unable to ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ keep his body upright. can't reach the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ levers, claws at my chainmail cage, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ while his body is turning into dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ pearls. finally, he's lost too much of ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- himself and the scream is cut short. -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† the last of him rains down. †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ i still can't reach the levers from §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# within my cage. looking up, i try to #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## make out the ceiling, but it's all a ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### whirling sea of colours. below me glows ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### the hellfire of the factory walls, but ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### very faint. i sit down, curl back up, ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## become still. ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ ** §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* ** ** *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† ------- * * ------- †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- ** ** -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ ** ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ a large clunk shakes my entire body, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ and snaps me back into reality. i'm ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ back at the factory floor, but the ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ stairs are still moving slightly, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^ clicking in place, carrying me the last ^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^- few centimeters. i came from below, -^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^-† somehow. the chainmail is retracted, †-^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^-†* and i slowly dismount the stairs. *†-^¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^-†*§ §*†-^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# shaking and crying, i make my way over #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## the factory floor, wading through dark ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨^-†*§### glass marbles. a quick glance down, and ###§*†-^¨¨
¨^-†*§#### i see there's something faint inside ####§*†-^¨
¨¨^-†*§### them. embryos? are these eggs? ###§*†-^¨¨
¨¨¨^-†*§## ##§*†-^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^-†*§# i shudder, and climb back out. #§*†-^¨¨¨¨
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